The City of Lufkin Animal Services is located at the Kurth Memorial Animal Shelter, 1901 Hill Street. Animal Services is a support division of the Lufkin Police Department.More >>

The City of Lufkin Animal Services is located at the Kurth Memorial Animal Shelter, 1901 Hill Street. Animal Services is a support division of the Lufkin Police Department. Animal Services enforces city ordinances and state laws inside the city limits of Lufkin.More >>

The East Texas Working Dog Association is a small group of dog lovers who enjoy training and competing in obedience, agility, and flyball.More >>

The East Texas Working Dog Association is a small group of dog lovers who enjoy training and competing in obedience, agility, and flyball. The organization also promotes responsible pet ownership, and is always happy to put on free demonstrations for other local clubs and organizations.More >>

The Nacogdoches Animal Shelter is dedicated to providing and promoting the humane treatment of animals while protecting the public by managing the animal population inside Nacogdoches . More >>

The Nacogdoches Animal Shelter is dedicated to providing and promoting the humane treatment of animals while protecting the public by managing the animal population inside Nacogdoches. The shelter also adopts out animals to loving families and encourages all pet owners to spay or neuter their pets in order to keep the pet population down.More >>

Imagine if an individual that's more than five times your size and from another species grabbed you. Your first inclination would probably be to run for your life, since there's an automatic predator/prey dynamic in place.

You, of course, don't have those intentions with your new cat, but it does not know that yet. Its initial instinct is to protect itself and to run away to safety. This can all be changed, however, with socialization.

Socialization is when your cat learns how to properly react to other cats, people, places, situations and more. Ideally, it takes place when your cat is just a kitten, aged about 2 to 7 weeks. During that period of time, the kitten is curious about everything and has a more open mind. That can be dangerous, since the kitten hasn't fully learned about dangers, and it requires the protection of its mother and possibly a caring human. It's also a good time because fears have not set in.

As a stray, your cat probably had a tough life, either as a feral or in the home of someone who didn't provide much care -- or both. All behavior can be modified, but such changes become more difficult as the individual ages, since there's been more time for the undesired reactions to set in.

People are no different. If you are afraid of public speaking, for example, you can become better and more comfortable with practice, but the whole matter is much easier if you have been exposed to, and participated in, such events over your entire lifetime with positive outcomes. Before long, the skill becomes second nature.

In addition to age, the temperament of the individual cat is a factor, as are its parents. Cats with feral parents tend to be more difficult to socialize; however, with time and patience, it can be done.

You might first try creating a safe room for your cat: a quiet, closed-off room with a comfy bed, food, water, a litter box and other amenities.

In that room, just sit quietly with your cat for a while in order to gain its trust. Offer a tasty food treat. As your cat approaches, slowly pet it, perhaps while it is busy investigating the food.

When your cat becomes more comfortable with your attention, put a blanket or towel on your lap and hold it for short periods, again petting it in a slow and soothing way.

Repeat the sessions over a series of days, introducing new toys, grooming tools and other objects. Through such sessions, you are teaching your new pet that you are not a danger and, in fact, are someone it can trust and look forward to seeing.

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